Comments on Girl's Gone Child: Boy Wonder?

I can't get this post out of my head. Follow...

2009-11-13T19:34:00.924-08:00

I can't get this post out of my head.

Follow up???

I recently came across your blog and have been rea...

2009-08-03T23:41:02.890-07:00

I recently came across your blog and have been reading along. I thought I would leave my first comment. I don't know what to say except that I have enjoyed reading. Nice blog. I will keep visiting this blog very often.

Barbara

http://keyboardpiano.net

Somehow I completely missed this post! Your descri...

2009-07-26T00:24:12.705-07:00

Somehow I completely missed this post! Your description of Archer reminds me so much of my father. My father was always more in touch with music than anything else. As the son of an aerospace engineer, his parents had high academic standards, but much to my grandparents' chagrin my father cared far more about music. He always loved music, but the 50s were not necessarily the most nurturing time for parenting, particularly for a guy interested in something so "girly." My dad majored in music in college and graduated from an incredible music program with a 4.0 and went on to get his M.M. and is now an operatic vocal coach. The same guy who still can't spell to save his butt can speak 8 different languages and was singing solo on stage with Beverly Sills at 25! Archer is soooo lucky to have parents who embrace his love of music. I think it is so wonderful that Archer has found music and I really love that you are focusing on this and encouraging it. I don't know about music schools on the West Coast, but drop me a line sometime if you want to know the skinny on boys choirs on the East Coast or in Europe! Also, as a vocalist and harpist myself, I am continually impressed with Archer's intonation clarity! What an amazing gift!

http://www.eleosarts.com/ Two of my friends teach...

2009-07-08T14:54:28.343-07:00

http://www.eleosarts.com/

Two of my friends teach there--Rebecca and Alexander Tseitlin.

And yes, yes, yes, encourage this gift! Can't wait to read about what Archer conquers next!

Here's the synopsis of the show. You can chec...

2009-07-02T22:38:33.270-07:00

Here's the synopsis of the show. You can check listings at pbs.org - it's playing all week. The book sounds interesting, too:
Musical Minds
Music's affect on the brain is explored via four case studies from neurologist Oliver Sacks' book "Musicophilia" and MRI visualizations of Sacks' own brain responding to classical pieces, including Bach's Mass in B Minor.

PBS is airing a NOVA special Tuesday, June 30th at...

2009-06-29T23:30:59.088-07:00

PBS is airing a NOVA special Tuesday, June 30th at 8PM (LA TIME) called "Musical Minds," about music and the mind. Dr. Oliver Sacks was on the Daily Show tonight pitching it and I thought of you and Archer's lovely musical mind.

i think the violin is a great first string choice....

2009-06-25T19:20:44.525-07:00

i think the violin is a great first string choice. There is much prep and a natural discipline that comes with learning it that it will benefit future string instruments played. Case in point, my 9 year old started on violin in grade 1 and now, just finishing grade 3 she has picked up the electric guitar and wants to explore on her own this summer: )I LOVE it! Arcade Fire girl who plays 5 instruments in one set, here we come!
BTW sounds like ARCHER would totally thrive in a Montessori environment:)

I can't add much that hasn't already been ...

2009-06-24T21:09:58.126-07:00

I can't add much that hasn't already been said except that I wouldn't worry too much about Archer being with older kids, if he ends up in a group. Gifted children often crave the company of older kids. And the older kids are often really nice with the younger ones! (Really, I'm finding that labels and counter-productive mind-sets are much more common in adults, you know what I mean?) Since Archer is so focused about music I doubt sitting still would be a problem for him. Good luck!

Music therapists might have groups of high-functio...

2009-06-23T10:12:58.772-07:00

Music therapists might have groups of high-functioning kids he could have a lot of fun with. They tend to focus on individual needs and it could be fabulous.

Outside that, definitely voice and piano lessons from a teacher who understands little kids and won't pressure. No matter what instrument(s) he chooses to pursue later, they will lay a great foundation. It's also important to make sure his voice isn't trained incorrectly, which can harm that beautiful talent he has!

Good luck - it's not easy but it's totally worth it. Kudos to you for listening to him and what he wants to do!

I too have noticed that my 10 month old little boy...

2009-06-22T13:36:44.297-07:00

I too have noticed that my 10 month old little boy is obsessed with music. It's kinda of great because I used to play music obsessively to my belly every day until he was born. I played everything from Bach to Metallica.

The freaky thing is now, music is the only thing that will calm him. He could be hysterical and as long as I put on some music, he is quiet instantly. I never heard about those Syndromes that you mentioned but now im a little scared that the docs might think that about my son.Hes only 10 months so its still early to tell about his speech patterns. Im glad you gave me the heads up so that I wont be blind sided by their bullshit stereotypes.

I always hoped to have a child who loved music as much as my husband and I do. I sing and he plays piano, guitar and also sings. Now we have an amazing little boy who appears to be a music lover as well. How wonderful!

Good luck on your quest to find the perfect place for him. how lucky he is to have parents like you and Hal who recognize and are eager to nourish his talents.

Christina
www.takebackyourtable.com

i'm a newbie here. not a mom. unfortunately i ...

2009-06-22T09:35:21.575-07:00

i'm a newbie here. not a mom. unfortunately i can't be of any help on the music department, as i'm in (and from) portugal. but i must say that i LOVE these photos. yes, you have lovely kids, but these are sooo strong i can't take my eyes off them. especially the first and the last (oh my, the last one!). he is so serene, so grown up it amazes me. really. i just had to share.

Hey - we have a similar issue with our talented da...

2009-06-21T16:14:57.383-07:00

Hey - we have a similar issue with our talented daughter who is 6. She is already writing songs and performing in singing recitals.I greatly identify with what you say about Archer, although the Aspergers dx she has been given doesn't bother me. I love having a kid that is not "cookie cutter" you know! We relish it.

I'm the blogger you met in Orange County (although the blog went by wayside when I recently found myself pregnant by surprise at age 40). Anyway, I have a great place for my girl but it is in Orange County - but might be worth the drive for you now and then. We have a singing teacher who teaches real music to babes (not kid music) and gives them forums to perform and also records music. She is a Grammy winning songwriter and sooo talented. For example, my girl has been working on Earth Wind and Fire songs, etc. You can look at her website www.melodymakersnb.com for inspiration. She wrote Janet Jackson's Let's Wait Awhile. She teaches several groups for kids age 3-6 but also gives private lessons.

Drop me a line if you need more info.

Also there are tons of "music camps" in LA and OC that cater to age 4-7 that you could try out in summer. They teach them music, drama, art. We've gained so much from that.

Good luck! And just keep exposing him to all types of music. That is the best! Missy

Sound like you have a very special child. He loves...

2009-06-21T10:17:38.854-07:00

Sound like you have a very special child. He loves his little sister and music. It is so nice to see parents supporting their children's interests and differences, and not trying to conform them. Bravo!

That's so amazing! I just made Nate sit and wa...

2009-06-21T09:11:07.926-07:00

That's so amazing! I just made Nate sit and watch it because Nate is a drummer and he always get's all glassy-eyed watching kids pick up drumsticks. I am so excited for Archer and all that the future holds for him! I wish I knew an answer for you but we don't have kids so I"m kind of outside of that world. I'm sure though that you'll find something perfect!

I think you are doing everything perfectly. How yo...

2009-06-21T07:45:51.438-07:00

I think you are doing everything perfectly. How you know to do this, at your young age, just shows more amazing things about you.

The most important thing you can do is just love him the way he is. That is who he is made to be. As long as he loves himself, the rest will carry forth.

I think too many children sense that they cause embarrassment to their parents, or their parents aren't as proud of them as they would be of other children. Sad to say, but true.

We are parents of a quirky, individualistic 12 yr old that we decided to homeschool in the middle of 4th grade. Too many years of "specialized evaluation" requested by teachers: and all the evaluators came up with the same thing: "gifted, talented child not on autism spectrum. VERY HAPPY WITH WHO HE IS."

So, who has the problem? The teachers in the classroom, or my son?

He has been home over a year now and is blossoming. We go in any direction he wants to go in: right now, it's origami and music composition. I called the local college, and they put a msg up looking for a student teacher interested in hours with one on one "free composition" with my son. The student comes to our house, and they play with the piano, and notes.

IT HAS BEEN GREAT.

Good luck to you, and Archer was born to the right set of parents. Let your Archer Flag fly, Archer!!

Everyone has left such great ideas and links - I h...

2009-06-21T07:21:58.819-07:00

Everyone has left such great ideas and links - I have one which may be able to help you pay for all this! Check out the Davidson Institute for talent development. They offer a lot of free consultations and they have financial assistance for talent-development activities. Wonderful people who truly "get" talent like Archer's.
http://www.davidsongifted.org/youngscholars/

And keep us all updated with what happens! We all clearly want to see Archer grow!!!

You are all amazing. Thank you. We're looking ...

2009-06-21T00:13:45.736-07:00

You are all amazing. Thank you. We're looking into Suzuki teachers for piano/violin. (He says he wants to play the violin so we'll try that first and see, although, because we have a piano in our house and Hal knows how to play, we might want to do piano lessons as well, we'll see what we can afford.)

But thank you, thank you. I've of course heard of Suzuki but don't know anyone who teaches/sends their kids so I had no IDEA how awesome it truly is!

So stoked to get this going! Thank you for being so generous with your knowledge and contacts!

You should check out the Early Childhood section o...

2009-06-20T23:12:59.687-07:00

You should check out the Early Childhood section of the colburn school.

Also check out the schools affiliated with the Music Center downtown. The following link lists schools that have a program affiliated with them. You can also contact them for advice.

http://www.musiccenter.org/education/members.html

Also, check out http://socalmusicschool.com/index.php
It looks like they provide instruction to kids of all ages and are part of the STAR program which LAUSD uses. They would be able to tell you what schools are involved for future reference.

A word about IEPs. While it might be worth pursuing music therapy, it may be hard to actually get it. If it is not a resourse they normally provide or if the district doesn't have the funds, you may be out of luck. That being said, bring it up with your program coordinator, they should know which schools offer music enrichment and may be able to get Archer into a public pre-school or kindergarten that offers a stronger music program. Some of the schools in LAUSD even have a grant that allows all of the kids enrolled there to be a part of the (usually pricey) STAR program.

Such a wonderful gift he has. Being in Vancouver...

2009-06-20T19:51:47.288-07:00

Such a wonderful gift he has.
Being in Vancouver, I don't know the music schools in your area. But I have to thank you for writing about Archer's speech.
I have a daughter who is just finishing kindergarten who is also having communication struggles, and after a year arguing with her school, bringing her to the doctor (ending in a clean bill of health) and a couple speech therapists. I felt like the only parent around with this problem who did not wanting to push her and make her natural curiousity for learning, into a grueling, scheduled, dull activity.
So thank you for this entry, it helps more than you know.

http://www.hollywoodacademyofmusic.com/index2.asp?...

2009-06-20T19:02:10.169-07:00

http://www.hollywoodacademyofmusic.com/index2.asp?pId=lessons

"Preschool Music Program
The preschool music program is a fun, group class for children ages 2-5, designed to teach the basics of music. All classes are 45 minutes once per week. The classes cover:

Movement and music
Learning to sing and listen
Making music with percussion instruments
Recognition of orchestral instruments
Rhythm
Melody
Elementary note recognition"

I'd try something like that. A lot of the things they focus on are things you're saying he's doing, so at least you know it wouldn't be all Pattycake and Elmo.

Aside from that, I'd suggest private lessons if you can find the right teacher. I had them as a kid (I can play...umm...piano/flute/clarinet/sax/drums/guitar) and always found them fun, if the teacher was the right one. But I'm Canadian, so I'm no help for names.

Best of luck though!

I also recommend suzuki. i started violin when i w...

2009-06-20T16:36:48.916-07:00

I also recommend suzuki. i started violin when i was 3 and i am now pursuing a career as a suzuki teacher... it really focuses on learning by ear at first as well. Also, its been around long enough now that there are A LOT of instruments that use the method. its not just for strings anymore.

also, i don't know much about this, but its worth checking out since its for younger aged children www.kindermusik.com

good luck from a music lover.

-LHB

what impressed me the most that besides playing pe...

2009-06-20T13:27:01.371-07:00

what impressed me the most that besides playing perfectly on each beat is that he knew when to play loud and when to play soft. most kids would have just banged away. yes, nurture this. i don't have any resources to offer; unfortunately. but yes, nurture this.

why not violin or piano lessons? those start at 4 ...

2009-06-20T12:29:47.039-07:00

why not violin or piano lessons? those start at 4 in most places. we have been consistently in group music classes since gus was 2 and love it. the teacher is great at all forms of music. it's in long beach though: http://www.jamminmusic-lb.com/

My son is similarly disposed, though not as gifted...

2009-06-20T11:17:43.606-07:00

My son is similarly disposed, though not as gifted; my advice is to contact the Music Teacher's Association of America and sign Archer up for Piano lessons. Piano skills develop both right and left lobes of the brain.

A word of caution: do not be afraid to drop the teacher if he or she does not meet your parenting style, but give it a little time first. Our teacher is not a natural nurturer, but I have no other choice for my area. In your area, there are so many options.

Consider Santa Monica (where Ziggy the trumpet teacher used to give lessons.) He had a whole following. One of my uncles took lessons from him.

Creative music lessons are not going to provide the encouragement he needs; He is highly gifted and that needs to be individualized. In your initial cost assessment of a plan of approach do not forget to include transportation in the cost as well as music books, cd's and other supplies.

We also use the website: Composers for Kids; there are scads of similiar websites. I cannot emphasize enough the difference between electronic instruction and personal instruction. Do not pursue one at the expense of the other. In the meanwhile, continue to play as much classical music as possible and continue to do everything you described in you rpost. I only wish we had taken our son's gift more seriously while he was younger. He's grown out of his love for practice and it is now primarily a discipline issue.

Cater to the enthusiasm now and you will save yourself and your son many tears of discouragment.

Sincerely,

Six Kids' Mom

I'm gonna second-third-fourth-fifth the Waldor...

2009-06-20T11:16:03.366-07:00

I'm gonna second-third-fourth-fifth the Waldorf thing...but what I really wanted to say was WOW. Your boy. When I see beautiful children like that I say to myself "ah, yet more proof that reincarnation is the real deal..." Don't you wonder who he was before? Lovely and amazing, he is!